Bremont's Cerrato bets on scarcity to rebuild the British watchmaker

Three years into his tenure at Bremont, chief executive Davide Cerrato has set out the thinking behind the British watchmaker's recovery: fewer references, a firmer price ladder, and high-profile partnerships to rebuild credibility, including a tie-up linked to a lunar rover project. Cerrato told Luxury Society that reducing the number of watches in the range and resisting the temptation to discount has been central to restoring the brand's positioning after a period of financial strain that saw Bremont taken over by new ownership.

The approach mirrors a broader trend among independent and mid-tier watch brands squeezed between the mega-houses of Swiss groups and a wave of newer microbrands. Rather than chasing volume, Bremont is understood to be prioritising scarcity and narrative, using collaborations and space-adjacent storytelling to differentiate itself in a crowded field. For a brand that built its identity on aviation heritage and British manufacturing, the strategy also signals a more disciplined approach to retail distribution, avoiding the grey market pressures that have hurt pricing power at other watchmakers in recent years.

The test for Bremont will be whether a smaller, higher-priced collection can generate enough revenue to sustain the business long term, particularly as the wider watch market has cooled from its pandemic-era highs. Cerrato's comments suggest confidence that quality over quantity can work, but the proof will come in sell-through and in whether retailers and collectors reward the tighter offer with sustained demand rather than simply less choice.

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